Absence Seizures and Injury

[susiestar]

Today my husband FINALLY realized that Jessie really DOES have seizures. He didn't really question the diagnosis but he didn't "get it" either.

She was walking past the new used recliner husband picked up. She stopped next to it and didn't move for a few seconds.

All of a sudden she said "Huh?" and looked around. She somehow managed to catch her big toenail on the bottom of the recliner, ripping it almost off.

husband saw it bleeding and saw she had NO reaction to it. She was just not "home" for about 30 seconds after the toenail was torn almost off.

Then she was shocked because she had no idea how she hurt her toe.

Poor husband came in freaked out after I patched her up. He said she had a "totally blank face that showed no pain or emotion at all" and then, without moving any part of her, she was biting her lip and "frantic with pain".

He has not really seen the seizures in action and did not understand how they can really cause problems in our lives.

He is so shook up, esp since the neuro wants to "fire" us. Maybe he will stop with the little verbal digs at her for not paying attention or forgetting "everything".

Hugs and healing thoughts for Jess would be appreciated.

Does anyone know if it is best to take the nail off totally or let nature take it's course and just keep putting antibiotic ointment and bandages on it?

by the way, if you cut the vet wrap into long thin strips it is great for holding gauze or a bandaid onto a toe! Jessie has orange vet wrap on the sore toe and just painted the other toes to match, LOL!

 

[GoingNorth]

*ouch!*

I would have this seen by a podiatrist ideally. The part of the toenail that is detached will die and have the be removed.

Any of the actual nailbed that is damaged needs to be treated so the new nail grows back normally.

There are things a doctor can do to make sure that happens. It's possible they will go ahead and remove the entire nail to make sure it heals cleanly.

I ignored a couple of these years ago and the nails grew back so malformed that I wound up having additional surgery on it. The other one grew back on it's own, but I can't trim it myself.

The surgery is done under a local anesthetic and it and the recovery hurt a LOT less than constantly bumping/snagging the toenail.

 

[gcvmom]

I don't know much about toenail issues, but what Goingnorth said makes sense. If you can't afford the doctor visit, if I were you, I'd put some antibiotic ointment on the nail around the break/tear and then keep it wrapped either in a large bandaid or gauze/tape. As it slowly grows out, you can carefully keep it trimmed/filed, but I think keeping it covered would be best so it doesn't catch on anything again.

It's really too bad it's taken your husband this long to understand and fully grasp what's going on with Jess. But better late than never. Hopefully he'll be more supportive and helpful as you move forward.

 

[susiestar]

GoneNorth, thanks for the info on how the doctor can help. I will get her in tomorrow or Tues.

As it is I used a non-stick gauze pad trimmed and secured by the self-stick vet wrap. It is just a brightly colored version of the stuff that sticks to itself and not to the person.

FWIW, I find it very helpful to keep a sealed bottle of saline solution to quirt out and irrigate any area that is otherwise hard to clean. I do use a new bottle for each injury, but they are not expensive. I keep a couple on hand.

 

[GoingNorth]

Saline is an indispensible part of my first aid kit. Not only is it the best thing to use to irrigate wounds, but it works great for flushing away dush or eyelashes, etc., that get caught in the eyes.

I use the sterile saline solution made for use with contact lenses. If you are just flushing a wound, you don't need to get a new bottle each time so long as the bottle doesn't touch the wound.

For eyes I keep some of the individual ampules of contact lense saline.

 

[susiestar]

Yup, that is the saline I buy. While it doesn't need to be a new bottle each time, as soon as Jess and thank you know we have a new bottle it will get used up. Further wound cleaning, thank you will try it AGAIN to help his allergy eyes (minimally helpful, but he forgets that it wasn't a huge help and tries it again and again, LOL).

husband also ends up using it to get Morgan off of the table.

So by the time there is a new wound there is not more saline in the bottle.

 

[GoingNorth]

OMG, Susie, why can't your husband buy a couple of spray bottles at Wallyworld or a dollar store and fill them up with good ol' tap water?

 

[susiestar]

We HAVE several bottles of water that shoot MUCH further than the saline. But he grabs whatever is closest to him. He forgets that the spray bottles exist. But the kids also will hide the spray bottles so that they can ambush each other with htem also.

Usually my husband is reluctant to use anything that costs any amount of money. This is one of his few foibles that uses something that is not the cheapest option. I would far rather he squirt some saline than just sit and scream at the cat. Cause the cat could care less what he says. Morgan is truly oblivious to anything husband says. All I have to do is snap my fingers and he gets down. husband can (and sadly has) yelled at him for 2-3 minutes at a time and teh cat doesn't even LOOK at him.

He is SOOOO not husband's cat, LOL!

 

[graceupongrace]

the cat could care less what he says. Morgan is truly oblivious to anything husband says. husband can (and sadly has) yelled at him for 2-3 minutes at a time and teh cat doesn't even LOOK at him.

Maybe I should start squirting difficult child with saline, lol!

Hope Jessie's toe is doing better. Sounds painful (not to mention icky).

 

[susiestar]

As a rule cats like saline less than water. The addition of a teaspoon of salt OR vinegar to water will make it very uncomfortable to a cat. Many training books I have read suggest using water with salt or vinegar to help train a difficult child cat.

Morgan has such thick fur the saline never gets to the skin.

 

[Wiped Out]

Susie
Still keeping Jesse in my prayers. Hugs.

 

[Shari]

Late chiming in, as usual, but I hope the toe is feeling better and glad husband has finally seen the light (or lack of, as the case may be...)

And isn't vet wrap wonderful stuff? We have it EVERYWHERE.

 

[GoingNorth]

I'm a big fan of Vet Wrap as well. First got into it with my first horse where I used it both for bandaging needs and for support wraps.

I remember when they first came out with all the colors and how I got a kick out of being able to get her leg bandages to match her blankets and halter.

When I had my surgery a few years ago, I came home with a PICC line in my arm and used purple vet wrap to secure the tubing to my arm.

A bit flamboyant, but I liked it.

 

[ML]

I'm glad husband was able to see this first hand. Those aha moments where dischord becomes harmony are awesome. Hugs to Jess. She is a great kid!

 

[susiestar]

No word from the docs yet. The pediatrician was going in yesterday to get the referral info together and sent HERSELF.

I am calling for progress notes later today. Hopefully we will at least have the EEG report done. Maybe we can even schedule an appointment with the new pediatrician neuro I found. 75 miles the other way, but still not a huge deal to us.

I will update this as I get info.